Kenneth Faried has been tearing it up for Team USA, providing relentless energy and turning it into rebounds and points. He battles for every loose ball and is always sprinting up and down the court. The opposing teams must always be aware of him as he just has a nose for the ball. He plays with the same spirit when suiting up for the Denver Nuggets, and that is part of the reason he has enjoyed early individual success in the league. Julius Randle of the Los Angeles Lakers should be observing Faried and learning how he too can affect the game in a similar manner.
Randle, like Faried, is slightly undersized for the power forward position. But also like Faried, Randle possesses an innate sense of where the ball is going to be and the relentless energy to go after every rebound. Randle already has shown that he is highly skilled for a big man, and can score in a variety of ways. But during his rookie season, it will be his energy that can separate him from the rest of his peers. He can give his team extra possessions and dominate the glass with Jordan Hill. He is quicker than most big men and should be able to beat them down the court, similar to what Faried does. This forces his opponents to constantly worry about where he is on the court, as well as possibly allowing him to get easy buckets.
Randle can earn the respect of the veterans on the team and his coach if he is able to outwork his opponents. One of his strongest traits in college was his motor, and he needs to use it to his advantage. Faried has proven that he can play with the best, simply by playing harder than everyone around him. Randle should take notice of Faried’s success so far in the tournament and use that same kind of energy to have a successful rookie season.
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